


sweet and right and merciful

by sohnist



Category: The Boyz (Korea Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Arranged Marriage, Alternate Universe - Royalty, Denial of Feelings, Eventual Smut, First Kiss, Fluff, Getting Together, It's Soft, Light Angst, M/M, Making Out, Sharing a Bed, Skinny Dipping, Slow Burn, Strangers to Lovers, Tags to be added, eric is sunwoo's bffie, lapslock, mentions and descriptions of anxiety, prince!hyunjoon, prince!sunwoo, side juyeon/eric
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-08-12
Updated: 2019-09-07
Packaged: 2020-08-19 20:50:53
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 14,649
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20216098
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sohnist/pseuds/sohnist
Summary: sunwoo wasn’t sure if he heard his parents correctly.“you want me to dowhat?”“an arranged marriage. it isn’t as bad as it sounds."





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

  * For [cluelesskaru](https://archiveofourown.org/users/cluelesskaru/gifts).

> hello! i want to start this off with an apology to the receiver of this fic. i was way in over my head, and still am, but i really love this prompt and this fic and i'm determined to finish. i wasn't able to finish by the first two deadlines that were given so i decided to upload this in chapters and add them as i finish them. i had a lot of fun with this prompt and i love it to death so thank you so much for submitting it!! i feel so lucky that i was paired with this one.
> 
> i hope you enjoy, and i hope i fulfilled your prompt!!
> 
> also, a shoutout to my friends who read over this for me and kept me going, and to mia, who is an amazing human and the best beta i could have asked for, thank you so so so so much this literally wouldn't be posted right now if not for you!!!
> 
> title from "cherry wine" by hozier (thanks mia!!)

sunwoo wasn’t sure if he heard his parents correctly.

“you want me to do  _ what _ ?”

“an arranged marriage. it isn’t as bad as it sounds, sweetie. you know, our marriage was arranged and we turned out just fine!” his mother grasped his hand from where she sat across the table from him in his study.

“well, i’m glad it turned out fine for you, but what if it doesn’t turn out as well for me? what if i hate them?”

“you have nothing to worry about,” his parents exchanged a knowing look, one tinged with amusement, “i think you’ll get along with him just fine.”

“oh… him?” sunwoo paused at that. his parents had known his preference for years, but had never mentioned anything about it other than promising to accept him for who he was.

“it was actually a coincidence. you’re very lucky in that regard. but we probably wouldn’t be so eager to ask you if we knew that our lovely neighboring kingdom’s eligible heir was a woman and not a man. we do respect you, son.” his father spoke, finally deciding to give his input into the conversation. 

at that, sunwoo felt gratitude and relief settle into his chest. even in this situation, where a political alliance was needed, they didn’t want to force him into a marriage with anyone he could never have a chance with. compared to other royals, or any other variety of nobility, he knew that what he was being offered was great. incredible, really. to be given the  _ choice _ of an arranged marriage with someone the same age as him and even someone he’d prefer in terms of gender was a rare occurrence.

“can i ask why you want us to be married?” sunwoo asked, having settled down since their original startling request. he stared down at the papers presented to him containing information about his would-be suitor, heo hyunjoon. he knew that his kingdom had been at odds with the heo kingdom for a long time, but it was never anything serious. just small squabbles over the most ridiculous bureaucratic things, often stemming from the two kingdoms’ cultural differences. he could never have pictured them agreeing to a marriage between their two families.

“you already know our history with them, so i’ll be brief. we want to put an end to the tensions between us. there’s no reason to have tensions with  _ anyone _ , if we can help it, and when we made the offer to them, they accepted. this marriage would be good for us. there’s no pressure. all you have to do is get married, get along, and live your life doing whatever you please until you take the throne. prince hyunjoon isn’t first in line for the throne in his own kingdom, so he’d be ruling here alongside you. it’s a perfect offer, really. regardless, it’s still your choice.” 

sunwoo listened intently to his father’s words, knowing that he was absolutely, indisputably right. he’d never receive a better offer, and he couldn’t possibly dream of marrying for love. he didn’t get to interact with anyone except other nobility and royalty, most of whom were already promised to someone else. this was his best bet at living a happy life. and who knew? maybe hyunjoon would turn out to be a really nice guy.

+

sunwoo had decided to agree, and therefore spent the next few weeks suffocating in his own anxiety until the two could meet. his parents told him that they wanted him to meet his betrothed and get to know him before the wedding, so that there was less of a chance of it being awkward. at the time, he felt that it was a good idea, but in retrospect, he wasn’t so sure. he’d have to make a good first impression as the future ruler of the kingdom to a complete stranger. a stranger who was also, you know, supposed to be his  _ husband _ in a few months. 

to quote his father,  _ no pressure _ .

the day the two would meet finally arrived. a scout had informed his father right after breakfast that the heos’ entourage was spotted over the mountain and would be arriving within the hour. chaos broke loose within the hall. no one had expected them for another day at the very least. staff began to clean up and decorate as best they could, and sunwoo was whisked away to his room and forced to dress prettily and more fancily than he ever did, in preparation for their arrival.

they dressed him up in his uncomfortable formal outfit; the white, double-breasted jacket had golden shoulder patches with fringe that hung around the curve of his shoulder, with ornate gold designs covering the front and intertwining between the buttons. sunwoo’s pants were a plain, bright red fabric. the high collar and the ends of his sleeves were the same bright red. a wide belt sat at his waist, the same shade as his pants, a sash extending over the top of it from the high point of his right shoulder, a drape of red silk down to the top of his left hip. the servants even tried to put makeup on him, but that’s where he drew the line. he looked fine as he was.

and so, the time had come.

he descended down the staircase into the main hall just as the members of the procession entered through the front door. a boy who could only be heo hyunjoon. stood tall in the doorway, dressed head to toe in a full set of deep blue armor, silver decals engraved in the navy like diamond against the night sky. he removed his helmet, every movement just as elegant as his features. for a second, sunwoo was paralyzed.

he was  _ beautiful _ .

the first thing he noticed were hyunjoon’s serious, cat-like eyes that stared into his own with a shallow kind of intensity. despite being trapped under a helmet, his black hair was still so effortlessly styled. sunwoo had never seen anyone so perfect in his life. and to think he was about to marry him.

despite the panic he felt, he knew he had to move forward, so he dragged himself down the rest of the staircase, trying not to meet the inquisitive shine of hyunjoon’s eyes. when they stood across from each other, he realised hyunjoon was much taller than what he’d expected. to say he felt intimidated would be an understatement. they both waited for their parents to greet each other and introduce their sons, and the first words out of hyunjoon’s mouth were as cool and chic as sunwoo had expected them to be, though his voice was deeper than he imagined for someone so delicately pretty.

“i apologize for presenting myself in this way, but i had no time to change into something nicer before meeting you. may i retire briefly to my chambers to get changed?” sunwoo admired the way he spoke, like a true prince, but he had to hold back a scoff at the implication that hyunjoon wasn’t perfect-looking just as he was.

it was after a beat of silence that he realised hyunjoon was talking to him.

“oh, um. yes. that would be fine. whatever you like. the staff will show you to your chambers.” sunwoo stuttered through his first ever sentence spoken to the ethereal man, and he felt the heat rush to his cheeks. so much for a first impression.

“thank you, prince sunwoo. i’ll see you later.” hyunjoon smiled, small and gentle, and again sunwoo was reminded of a cat in the way that there seemed to be a bit of mischief behind the expression. if nothing else, these next few months were bound to be interesting.

+

their parents had decided that it would be best to meet up again for dinner and allow the heos to rest after their long journey. they had been travelling for weeks, something they were unused to, and wanted to present themselves as best they could. while the heo family and all their staff retreated off to their quarters to rest and freshen up, sunwoo continued to panic.

he had gone to his study to be alone. it was one of the few places he felt most comfortable other than his bedroom. he loved being surrounded by the bookshelves that stretched from floor to ceiling. it made the space cosier. sunwoo paced back and forth, unable to keep still, unable to stop  _ thinking _ . for one, hyunjoon was gorgeous. he didn’t know what he expected, but it certainly wasn’t  _ that _ . maybe they actually had a chance, now, since he was actually interested in him. whether their personalities allowed for an easygoing flow of conversation would be the most important indicator of their compatibility. and that was his main concern: making a good impression.

sunwoo already felt like he had failed, stuttering through his first sentence to hyunjoon all whilst being bright red the whole time. all he could really do was hope that hyunjoon was a nice enough person to give him a second chance to prove himself as more than just a ball of nerves. he usually considered himself to be a person of worth and interest; he felt that he was very well educated and varied in his hobbies and passions. being a good leader was very important to him, so he worked hard at developing the qualities that role required, and he felt that he could show them well. but still, despite all that, he had his doubts and anxieties that he’d be able to pull all of this off.

as he paced, deep in thought, a knock sounded on his study’s door.

“sunwoo? it’s me.” called out a familiar voice. he opened the door to see the face of his best friend, eric. he was a young member of the nobility just like sunwoo himself, as his family was a very respected and important one in their kingdom.

sunwoo opened the door wide for him, unable to even muster the strength to greet him with a smile through the cloud of his anxiety.

“whoa, you look stressed. is he that hot?” eric said, a familiar teasing smile on his face. normally, sunwoo would find that hilarious and probably hit him for it, but right now all he felt was exhaustion. he collapsed into his desk chair and rested his face in his hands, sighing loudly. eric sat down across from him and continued to talk. “i’m gonna assume that’s a yes. you don’t really have anything to worry about, you know. have you seen yourself lately? he’s not missing out on anything.”

sunwoo finally chuckled a bit at eric’s attempt to cheer him up. he didn’t consider himself very attractive at all. his looks just weren’t anything  _ special _ in his eyes. “i’m not all that, eric.”

“yes you are. i know you don’t think so, but trust me. remember when i had a crush on you? all i could think about was—”

“ _ yes,  _ i remember. how could i forget when you won’t shut up about it?” sunwoo lifted his head from his hands. “the guy you abandoned me for is much hotter though, you can’t deny that.”

there was a moment of silence as eric hesitated before answering, “okay, yeah, but no one is like juyeon. he’s…  _ juyeon _ . he’s just on another level.”

“well, prince hyunjoon is on that level with him.”

“damn, you really got lucky. where is he? can i meet him?” eric tried and failed to conceal his amused smile at the whole situation.

“uh, i think it’d be best to wait until some kind of official meeting. they’re all resting right now, anyway.”

“well, then, tell me about him. i wanna know more about my best friend’s future husband.”

sunwoo heaved a loud groan at that, resting his head in his crossed arms over his desk. he heard eric laughing through an apology before he answered. “i didn’t really get much of an impression, we only met briefly. all i can really say is that he was beautiful and very cool, you know? very prince-like.”

“ _ very prince-like _ says the literal prince. i can’t stand you.” eric huffed in mock annoyance and stood up from his chair to leave.

“wait, where are you going?” sunwoo knew there was a pleading tone to his voice, at how he maybe didn’t want to be alone anymore, but he hoped eric wouldn’t notice.

“aw, are you gonna miss me?” eric made a disgustingly cute face. “i have work, too, you know. as easygoing as i come across, i’m just as busy as you. well, maybe not exactly, but still. you know, the only reason i even stopped by today was because i already had an errand here and i snuck off to check on you.”

“i get it, eric.” sunwoo interrupted eric’s rambling. “we’ll see each other again soon though, right?”

“yeah, of course! didn’t you wanna go horseback riding soon? down to the river?” eric stood with his hand poised on the study door’s handle.

“oh, right. with juyeon.”

“hey, maybe you can bring prince hyunjoon. a double date, maybe?” eric winked, finally leaving the study. sunwoo was already dreading their so-called “double date” and the endless teasing he was no doubt going to endure from his lovely, but very annoying, friend.

the rushed events from that day combined with the stress he felt from all of it finally weighed on sunwoo’s shoulders. he felt truly and utterly exhausted. he checked the time on the grandfather clock in his office, seeing it was only three o’clock in the afternoon. he had time for a nap before the feast that was to be held in hyunjoon and his family’s honor. he craved comfortable clothing, having been stuck in the starch-pressed, too-tight formal outfit for far too long, and decided to head to his quarters to change, and then pass the fuck out.

sunwoo dragged himself down the long hallways of the castle, reaching his room after what felt like an eternity. he was already craving the feeling of his soft silk pajamas and his 1,200 thread count cotton sheets. sometimes being a prince had its benefits.

the sight of his bed upon entering the room was too tempting for him to not immediately throw himself down on it. fuck getting changed, he wanted to sleep  _ now. _ or at least lay down for a minute and let himself relax. he felt like every single muscle in his body was tense without his consent, and he just wanted to let go for a while.

at least, that was his plan, until a half naked prince hyunjoon entered from the en suite bathroom, dripping wet and wearing nothing but a towel around his hips. at hearing someone else in the room, sunwoo’s eyes snapped open and met hyunjoon’s dead on. for a moment, he didn’t process what he was seeing, until his face burned hot red and he threw himself into a sitting position all at once.

“prince hyunjoon? what are you doing in here?”

hyunjoon had a mostly neutral, if not slightly amused look on his face. he didn’t seem bothered by sunwoo’s intrusion at all, and made no move to get dressed. he just stood there gently towelling his hair dry and regarding sunwoo’s state of panic. 

“i was told these were my quarters. was i mistaken?”

“who told you that?”

“the orange-haired guard outside. i think his name was changmin.”

“no, i’m… i’m afraid he was probably right.” sunwoo buried his head in his knees, groaning. how many times he’d have to do that in the time he got to know hyunjoon, he didn’t know. having to keep himself together around an attractive young man that was also his betrothed was more difficult than he expected. “this was probably my parents’ doing.”

“well, i don’t mind, if you don’t. since we  _ are _ supposed to be getting to know each other…” sunwoo didn’t like the way hyunjoon’s voice sounded as he trailed off. he lifted his head from his knees, and confirmed what he thought when he saw the absolutely feline grin on the prince’s face. he was being teased, again, and this time by the man himself.

“i don’t mind, but perhaps you should take more care to dress yourself privately from now on. you know, until we get to know each other?” sunwoo wasn’t one for venom, but he found himself having it in this moment. he didn’t take lightly to being mocked, no matter how innocent it was. unsurprisingly, his venom had no effect on hyunjoon, only seeming to spur him on.

“well, i wasn’t expecting company so  _ soon _ , your highness. if i had, then surely i would’ve maintained my normal air of modesty.” hyunjoon exaggerated his formal tone, clearly having to hold himself back from laughing at sunwoo’s distress. he cocked a hip, posing his hand on it for emphasis, and sunwoo’s face burned hotter. hyunjoon clearly didn’t care about being naked in front of him, and that was… a problem.

“i see.” he paused to clear his throat. “i came here for a nap, but seeing as you’re here, maybe i shouldn’t.”

“oh, um… i didn’t realise. you don’t have to worry about me. go ahead and take your nap, i won’t bother you.” hyunjoon’s demeanor suddenly changed completely. he actually genuinely looked sheepish. “i’ll gather my clothes and get dressed, if you don’t mind.” he grabbed a mass of clothing off of the floor and retreated back from whence he came.

once hyunjoon was gone, sunwoo heaved a sigh of relief. he really hoped that their future encounters wouldn’t be as…  _ tense _ as that one. he started fumbling with the buttons and sashes on his overcomplicated jacket and shrugged it off in record time, letting it hit the floor without a care for how it would rumple the expensive material. he unbuttoned the top few buttons of his dress shirt as well, before peeling off his shoes and socks. he then tucked himself under the covers, as wonderfully soft as they were, and fell asleep almost immediately.

+

sunwoo awoke to a sight he didn’t expect, but wasn’t surprised by. the room was a few shades darker, and he assumed he must’ve woken up right before dinnertime. hyunjoon was laying down on the other side of the bed, on top of the covers and dressed in something semi-formal. his hair was still slightly damp, the deep blackness of it shining blue in the low light of the room. like this, he seemed so  _ soft _ , and his looks finally matched his age.

after staring for longer than appropriate, sunwoo gently sat up and removed himself from the tempting warmth of his sheets. his clothes had become mussed in his sleep, and he resolved himself to fix them, as well as re-dress himself in the horrible formal jacket. his parents would expect no less from him, as well as hyunjoon’s parents, he was sure.

once he finished with his clothing, he squinted to read his bedside clock in the dim room. it was actually much later than he thought, and he wondered why no one had come to rouse them yet. wouldn’t the feast start soon? he knew that they’d probably be late if they didn’t get going, so he reluctantly went to wake hyunjoon.

gently, he shook the other prince’s shoulder. “prince hyunjoon, you’ve got to wake up now. the feast is soon.” sunwoo said it lightly, so he wouldn’t shock him.

hyunjoon groaned, turning in his sleep and not responding to his words. sunwoo tried again, this time a little louder. hyunjoon’s eyes opened just a small amount, and he stretched and wiggled around where he lay. sunwoo stifled a giggle; he really did seem like a cat. a harmless one, in this condition.

“good thing i got mostly dressed first.” hyunjoon mumbled, lifting himself into a sitting position. it seemed like it had taken all of his energy to do just that, and sunwoo hoped he wouldn’t keep acting this way during the feast.

“uh, where are your things, by the way? i didn’t notice any of them when i came in.”

“oh, some of your servants already unpacked them and put them away in your closets.” hyunjoon said absentmindedly as he struggled into his own uncomfortable and stupidly complicated formal wear. sunwoo couldn’t think of anything to say in response, so he decided to stare at his new roommate instead. his clothes were unique, and he found he liked them quite a lot.

hyunjoon wore a long blue silk coat with gold embellishments on the front, around the edges, and on the ends of the sleeves that were woven into vine and flower patterns. underneath, he had a waistcoat of the same color and with the same gold embellishments, only here the patterns were more structured and less flowing. his shirt was a plain white dress shirt with lace frills at the ends of the sleeves that stuck out of the coat. his breeches were also the same color, with gold buttons on the sides of his knees, and bright white stockings under those. the entire ensemble was tied off with a white lace jabot, that somehow fell elegantly on hyunjoon where it would have looked ridiculous on anyone else.

after assembling the masterpiece that was his outfit, he truly looked like a prince. regal in every sense, and definitely embellished enough for the both of them. sunwoo felt almost underdressed in comparison. hyunjoon turned to him with an unsure smile, a question on his face.

“you look great, your highness.” sunwoo said genuinely, returning the smile.

“thank you.” hyunjoon strode to the door in all his majestic glamor. “shall we go?”

they both made their way through the winding halls of the castle to find themselves in the grand dining room. luckily, having lived there for all his life, sunwoo knew the layout of the castle very well and ensured they didn’t get lost. meanwhile, hyunjoon seemed kind of confounded by it. sunwoo could already picture him getting lost at some point while he was there.

they arrived before the feast started, something for which they were both very grateful for. they were greeted by the sight of almost all of their family members, with only a few more stragglers other than them who had yet to show. for the first time in a while, the table was packed. sunwoo met eyes with his parents and they smiled at seeing him arrive with hyunjoon, and gestured to their seats, across from each other of course.

the boys took their seats, not sure how to talk to one another now that they were surrounded by others. while most of the guests were chatting idly, sunwoo and hyunjoon sat in awkward silence, unable to even look at each other for longer than a second. the parents sensed this and decided to either come to their rescue or make it worse. that was up to interpretation.

“so, prince hyunjoon,” began sunwoo’s mother, “how was the journey?”

“it was alright, your highness. we had no troubles, but it was exhausting nonetheless.” sunwoo observed him closely and watched his previously cool demeanor come down again. inwardly, he laughed at the idea that anyone should be nervous to talk to his mother. she was one of the kindest and most open people he knew.

“well, that’s to be expected. still, did you find your quarters… agreeable?” at this, a knowing smirk crossed her face and her eyes flitted momentarily between the two of them. ah, so this  _ had _ been her doing.

“yes, they were  _ quite _ agreeable, thank you.” hyunjoon didn’t take the brunt of the teasing and instead redirected it at sunwoo, who was now fighting the urge to slink down his chair and under the table to hide himself from the situation.

“the food should be coming soon, and then we won’t have to struggle with small talk.” sunwoo’s mother chuckled, and so did the rest of the people in proximity. her warmth was infectious.

since the brief conversation had died, sunwoo looked over to observe his father. he had an almost serene look on his face, something that was rare for him, and sunwoo was glad to see it. in his father’s case, he preferred to talk less and do more, showing himself with his expressions and actions more than words. though when he did give his full thoughts, they were always very insightful.

seeing his father’s face like that told him that he was overjoyed with how things were going so far. sunwoo wanted to make his family happy above anything. that’s why he was so determined to make it work between him and hyunjoon, even if they were never anything more than friends. that would be enough.

sunwoo was interrupted from his thoughts by feeling someone nudge his foot under the table. he looked at hyunjoon immediately, and the prince was staring at him, chin resting in his palm and a curious look on his face. it was almost like he was asking him what he was thinking about.

not wanting to talk about something so personal in front of at least a dozen other people, he elected to nudge hyunjoon back. that made a full smile rise on his face, one that sunwoo couldn’t help but to return. they nudged each other back and forth, each nudge getting more aggressive than the last, and sunwoo wondered if by the end of this exchange he wouldn’t have bruises. they were so caught up in their little game, practically giggling, that they didn’t even notice the food arriving until sunwoo’s father spoke up.

“boys, the food is here.” he said bluntly, and both of them sat upright in their chairs immediately to make room for the waiters to place their trays. however, before the guests could dig in, sunwoo’s parents stood up at the head of the table, glasses of white wine in hand.

“everyone, i’d like to start a toast.” his mother said, smiling, “today is the start of a new era for both of our families, and our sons. i’d like to thank everyone for coming here today and agreeing to this union. let’s hope it blossoms into something great for all of us.” she finished her speech by clinking her glass together with her husband’s, and they drank before sitting back down. all around the table, guests clinked their own glasses together and drank to the occasion. sunwoo shakily did the same with his and hyunjoon’s glass, before downing the whole thing in one gulp.

sunwoo’s heart pounded like they were at the actual wedding, with how sure his mother was in her speech. some part of him still felt like it would all go wrong, and hyunjoon would end up hating him and call off the wedding. now he  _ had _ to make sure it didn’t happen, no matter what. he couldn’t let his family down. he couldn’t let the  _ kingdom _ down. he felt the pressure now more than ever, though it seemed like no one in the room realised, as everyone carried on nonchalantly like this were any other meal.

the guests’ chatter settled into more or less silence as everyone ate the delicious meal presented to them, sunwoo included. he ate with his head down, trying to avoid any eye contact and willing his anxiety to settle so he could act how he was supposed to: like a prince.

as time passed, the silence in the room was crushed him more and more. he felt like any breath or movement he took would be scrutinized, and he’d be found out, that he was a coward. he didn’t know how many more minutes he could sit staring at his plate unmoving before someone noticed, so quietly, he excused himself from the table and rushed off into the hallway.

there, he leaned against the wall, eyes closed, trying to settle his breaths. he heard murmuring in the room behind him and wondered if he was the cause of it. people gossiping, whispering about him. wondering if he was capable. considering that one lighthearted speech took him out, he certainly didn’t feel that way.

suddenly, he felt a hand on his shoulder. he opened his eyes to see hyunjoon there. “are you alright, prince sunwoo?” he asked. sunwoo couldn’t understand why this person, who was practically a stranger, would care about him.

“yes, i’m fine. just needed some air is all.” he made like he was ready to return to the dining room, but his feet froze in place. hyunjoon stiffened slightly next to him.

“prince…?”

“do you want the truth?” he gave a sigh of defeat, leaning back against the wall. “i don’t know if i can do this.” his heart sank when hyunjoon took his hand back from his shoulder.

“is it… is it because of me? was i too much, before? i’m… i’m sorry about that, i just-” hyunjoon’s voice sounded so hurt that for a minute sunwoo felt that he’d made it worse than he thought could be possible.

“no, no, it’s not you at all. you’re absolutely fine. it’s just me, being- being an idiot.”

“you’re not an idiot. to be honest, i was scared of this too. i had no idea what kind of person you would be, or anything, and i still don’t really, but so far i find that i like your company.”

sunwoo knew he was definitely an idiot, no matter what hyunjoon said, because of the way his heart jumped at those words. they’d only known each other for a day, and here he was getting attached in ways he didn’t want to.

“well, thank you. i find your company…  _ interesting _ , for sure.” they both chuckled quietly at that. 

after a moment of silence, hyunjoon said, “shall we go back?”

“i’d rather die on the spot than go back in there and have them all stare at us.” sunwoo smiled nervously, not knowing how hyunjoon would take that.

“that makes sense. who knows what they’re all whispering about, right?” hyunjoon grinned like he knew a secret that no one else did, and clapped sunwoo on the shoulder. “let’s get out of here.”

+

sunwoo and hyunjoon had spent the rest of the evening in the castle’s library, chatting together on one of the plush couches. it was one of sunwoo’s favorite places in the castle solely due to how comfortable and cozy the atmosphere was. people often went there to do anything but read books, just as they had done.

when the clock struck midnight, they both figured it was time for bed, and once they reached their room, they were reminded of their predicament. the bed sat in front of them like a literal elephant in the room. obviously, the logical answer was to just share it. somewhere in their minds, they were already resigned to the fact that they’d have to, but they still wanted to protest. sunwoo considered any other option, sleeping on the couch, the floor, etc. but every option felt stupider and more pointless than the last. hyunjoon was also looking around the room, and was probably considering the same ridiculous things he was. they could share a bed. they were getting  _ married _ in a few months, for god’s sake.

hyunjoon must have reached that conclusion before he did, as he walked off into their huge closet and returned no more than a few minutes later dressed in his pajamas and looking ready for sleep.

as hyunjoon collapsed into the bed, wiggling himself under the covers, sunwoo did the same and took his pajamas into the bathroom to wash up for the night. he peeled off his formal clothes, finally able to let his skin breathe when he had felt so constricted, and slipped into his sleeping clothes. after washing his face and otherwise getting ready to sleep, he climbed wordlessly into the bed alongside hyunjoon. luckily, he didn’t have to worry about eye contact or awkward encounters because it seemed like the other prince was already asleep, or at least attempting it.

it wasn’t as uncomfortable as he thought it would be to share a bed with another person, especially someone who was practically a stranger. as he drifted off, he found that hyunjoon’s subtle presence was comforting. he felt unexpectedly safe having him there. it wasn’t so bad to not be alone anymore.


	2. Chapter 2

sunwoo woke up very disoriented the next morning. at first, the events of the previous day hadn’t struck him, and he wondered why he felt something so heavy holding onto him and preventing him from getting up for the day. then, remembering he wasn’t alone, sunwoo craned his neck back to see prince hyunjoon fast asleep, looking incredibly peaceful despite the fierce grip he had on sunwoo. both of his arms and both of his legs, despite sunwoo not being able to see them where they were draped under the covers, were wrapped around him in one way or another. sunwoo tried not to think about how cute it was.

he shook the thoughts from his head, feeling the tips of his ears tinge pink. gently, he tried to peel hyunjoon’s limbs from him, but the other prince held on tight and didn’t seem to want to let go. he sighed out loud. was this going to be a daily reoccurrence? he didn’t want to admit it, but he didn’t mind the idea that much. however, right then, he just wanted to get up.

“prince hyunjoon,” he whispered, gently squeezing one of hyunjoon’s wrists. “we have to get up now, it’s morning.” sunwoo realised this was the second time in less than twenty-four hours that he had to wake the boy up from a deep sleep. he found it kind of endearing. hyunjoon’s image had evolved significantly from his initial impression of him.

hyunjoon just hummed and buried his face more closely into the back of sunwoo’s neck, his arms wrapping somehow tighter around him. sunwoo’s face was definitely red now, especially with how he could feel hyunjoon’s warm and soft breaths on his skin. a part of him wanted to just go back to sleep and enjoy this closeness. he had probably never been this close to someone before, not even eric, and he found himself feeling a little bit touch starved.

eventually, he fell back asleep, feeling too badly about trying to wake the deeply sleeping prince that clung to him. and though he probably wouldn’t admit it, sunwoo felt even safer wrapped up in his arms.

hours later, sunwoo woke up alone. the sunlight that came through the curtains fell much lower than he expected, and he wondered why no one had woken him. he felt slightly disappointed, especially since he was looking forward to seeing hyunjoon’s reaction to his own clinginess. he even hoped to tease him about it.

sunwoo got ready for the day quickly, not wanting to waste any more time, before hurrying downstairs to the dining room. he hoped he wasn’t too late for breakfast. luckily, he found hyunjoon sitting by himself and still eating.

“why didn’t you wake me?” sunwoo said, only a slight hint of annoyance in his voice.

“i tried, but you were out cold.” hyunjoon gave him that look again, resting his chin in his palm and quirking his lip up at the corner like he was amused by everything, and sunwoo thought that it was becoming much too common.

“that’s funny, because the exact same thing happened when i tried to wake  _ you _ .” sunwoo said, silently thanking the server who brought him a warm plate of breakfast. he dug into his meal as hyunjoon spluttered before him, clearly caught off guard by what he had said.

“you mean to say that—”

“ _ yes _ , i was awake to see you clinging to me.” sunwoo giggled in between bites. it was his turn to be amused.

“oh god,” hyunjoon groaned, the mortification prominent in his voice as he ran a hand over his face, “i’m sorry about that. it’s a habit of mine. i’m used to... no, i shouldn’t say.”

“what is it?”

“you’ll just make fun of me; i’d rather not.”

at that, sunwoo went soft. “i won’t make fun of you, prince.”

“i’m used to sleeping with a plush, it’s something i’ve done since i was a child, and well… my father didn’t want me to bring any. he thought it would make me seem childish.”

sunwoo thought that that was probably the cutest thing he had ever heard. fierce, cool hyunjoon liked hugging stuffed toys as he slept? he barely held himself back from cooing.

“i’d never make fun of you for that. i had a plush too, up until it fell apart. i think i loved it too much for it to stay in one piece.” sunwoo laughed lightly at himself, and hyunjoon joined him in smiling. they finished eating their meal in relative silence, before hyunjoon wandered off somewhere and sunwoo headed to his office.

unfortunately, sunwoo had a ridiculous amount of work to do. he really wanted to spend time getting to know the prince more, but he just couldn’t spare hardly any time for him today. he felt like a terrible host, but duties called and sunwoo had to answer. despite not being in line to be king for a long, long time, he still had plenty of work on his own as a prince. his parents delegated all of the smaller issues in their kingdom to him, usually things to do with citizens that could be solved on a small scale. however, in order for his parents to keep track of his progress, he was required to file reports about everything he did regarding official prince business.

they didn’t really need him to help, as they were already plenty capable on their own, but they liked giving him something to do, and it helped to train him for his future job someday. and besides, they knew he liked aiding the citizens and being involved with his people. it was in his nature, as he was often too compassionate for his own good.

since it was nearing the end of the week, he didn’t have any more tasks to complete, and was now just left to fill out the dozens of reports retelling the events in detail. it was too distracting and time consuming to do them during the week, so he would just start the report and then leave the rest for later. when the day came that he had to finish them, he always regretted his system just a little bit, but he powered through.

today, he was lagging even more than usual, his mind constantly wandering to hyunjoon. he wasn’t even one-fourth of the way through his paperwork, and he was already procrastinating, choosing instead to twirl his pen and stare blankly at the pages in front of him while his mind lingered on the prince.

sunwoo knew it was ridiculous of him to be developing a crush on hyunjoon after only a day of knowing him, but he could already feel a soft spot forming in his heart. he felt grateful that hyunjoon was letting him see the true sides of him already, not trying too hard to hide his actual self. hyunjoon obviously wasn’t as practised at his façade as he thought, since it was already falling this early on.

“what are you giggling about?” came a voice from the doorway. sunwoo startled, dropping his pen and spilling ink all over his current report.

he cursed loudly, preferring to deal with the spilled ink rather than have hyunjoon see how red his face was at being caught daydreaming.

“now look what you made me do. this report is ruined, i’ll have to start over.” sunwoo glared at him, trying to make it light, but finding it difficult considering how much he actually loathed having to redo his paperwork.

“sorry, i thought you would notice me come in.” hyunjoon smirked again, sitting himself down in one of the plush chairs across from sunwoo’s desk. they sat there in silence for a few moments as sunwoo finished cleaning up the ruined papers and disposing of them.

“so, what brings you here, prince hyunjoon?” sunwoo said, plopping himself down in his desk chair. he regarded hyunjoon with agitation, hoping the other prince would get the message, but he seemed completely oblivious.

“i was just curious as to what you were doing holed up in here. the guards informed me you were working, but as your fiancé i figured it would be fine if i dropped in to check on you.” though his voice was teasing, it had an undertone of softness, and he wondered if hyunjoon was genuinely concerned about him. a part sunwoo hoped he was.

“well, i was doing fine until you showed up.” sunwoo looked uselessly at his reports. he was stupid to think he’d be able to get all of these done in one day.

“are you sure about that? it seemed like you were off in another world.”

sunwoo groaned, burying his face in his hands.

“come on, you’re not gonna get that done if you’re all tense like this. let’s get out of here.”

“and where do you suggest we go?” sunwoo tried to pretend like he wasn’t excited by the idea of leaving his stuffy office and doing something  _ fun _ for once, and with hyunjoon no less.

“let’s go into the city! i’ve never seen it before. we didn’t come through it on our way here.” sunwoo looked up at the excitement in hyunjoon’s voice, and found that feeling reflected on his face. he looked almost  _ giddy _ , and sunwoo couldn’t find it in himself to say no.

“actually, that might be a perfect idea. today is the day of the main market, too. i’ve been meaning to go down there but i’ve just been so busy…”

“well, here’s your chance. come on, show me this market.” hyunjoon jumped to his feet and headed for the door, motioning for sunwoo to follow.

by now, the guards were used to sunwoo going out on the town. they always sent one or two of them that trailed behind him at a distance, so as not to disturb him, but would still be close enough to come to the rescue if he ever needed it. sunwoo didn’t blame them, but he still hated the fact that he could never truly be on his own.

the market felt a little bit like a second home to him. the older women there were all very kind to him and treated him like he was their own son, despite his status. they never cared for that; they only cared for him as a human being, saw him only as what he was at the core of everything. he always visited when he could, and bought plenty of their products. not only were they delicious, but he wanted to support the people he cared about.

hyunjoon and sunwoo walked side by side as they entered the market, both of them vaguely aware of the guards who weren’t far behind them. besides the wonderful people who ran it, sunwoo loved everything about the market. he loved its vibe and atmosphere, the quiet yet lively and crowded streets filled with stalls that ranged from regular produce to wonderful products he’d never seen before from other lands.

first, sunwoo headed for a stall close to the entrance of the market. it sold various types of fresh produce, mostly vegetables from what it seemed. they were all brightly colored and fresh looking, not a single scratch on them. hyunjoon longed to try some.

“good day,” sunwoo said as he approached the stall’s owner. she hadn’t seen him yet, but when she did, her face lit up with a wide smile, eyes scrunching under the force of her happiness.

“prince sunwoo! it’s been too long. how are you? you know what, let me bag up some tomatoes for you. we had a fresh harvest just yesterday.”

“i’d love that, thank you. i’ve been alright, just really swamped with work. i’ve been meaning to stop by, but i just haven’t had the time.” hyunjoon quietly observed sunwoo as they chatted. he hadn’t seen this look on the prince yet; he looked overjoyed. hyunjoon was silently glad that he suggested this outing for them.

“well, that’s quite alright. i’m sure the amount of work you have is something i couldn’t even imagine.” she paused for a moment as she placed some of the largest and most beautiful tomatoes in a sack for sunwoo, as well as some other vegetables. “now, who is this handsome young man with you? a friend?”

“oh, this is—” sunwoo cut off, looking to hyunjoon, who had been silently observing their exchange the entire time. his face turned pink as he said, “—this is my fiancé, prince hyunjoon.”

“oh, my! your fiancé, and another prince at that. you never told me about him.” sunwoo seemed visibly relieved at her reaction.

“well, madam, we only met yesterday.” hyunjoon finally spoke, putting on his signature charming smile for the woman. “it’s a pleasure to meet you.” he took her hand, bowing to kiss it. just as he righted himself, he caught sight of sunwoo rolling his eyes.

“you’re quite lucky to have such a wonderful fiancé, your highness. i wish you two happiness.” the statement was directed at hyunjoon, and sunwoo felt flattered by her words.

“thank you.” sunwoo said. a moment later he gasped, seeing how much food was in the bag she handed him. “this is too much! are you sure about this?”

“of course i am, for you! don’t fret.”

“then let me,” sunwoo said, digging some gold coins out of his pockets. he handed them to her, insisting she take them.

“now, prince, you know i don’t like to accept your money.”

“and you know i don’t like to accept the results of your hard work when i have plenty of means to pay for it. now, please take this.”

the woman finally relented, accepting his coins, but not without a disgruntled look on her face. hyunjoon was thoroughly amused by their exchange, and also impressed with sunwoo. he was a good samaritan, and it seemed he truly loved his people. hyunjoon felt like he should take notes.

the two talked for a few more minutes before they moved on, meandering around the market aimlessly, occasionally stopping to look at some unique items, usually ones of high craftsmanship.

finally, hyunjoon stopped at a stall, squinting at what he saw. it seemed like a distributor of goods from foreign countries, and this time, they were mostly goods from his own country. he looked at the price tag on a scarf, and almost gasped in horror.

“prince, you haven’t ever bought anything from distributors like this, have you?” he whispered under his breath.

“no, i haven’t. why?”

“good, because they’re selling these for  _ ten times _ the amount they normally cost. i could get you anything here for much less. if you ever want anything like this, just ask me, okay?”

sunwoo felt almost flattered by his words. “are you sure it isn’t just marked up, you know, since it’s an import?”

“even with that, it should be much less. i’m honestly appalled.” he shot a quick glare at the clerk, who seemed confused by the two boys whispering over a scarf. “let’s move on.”

after another half hour or so of wandering around, the two split off, focusing on different parts of the market. sunwoo’s eyes landed on a jewelry craftsman, whose designs sparkled in the sunlight. normally, he wasn’t the biggest fan of accessories, but sometimes certain pieces would catch his interest. he looked more closely at the pieces and found he quite liked this artist’s style, though nothing jumped out at him. that is, until he saw a certain ring. it was an ebony band, with silver twining around it, resembling vines. they met in the middle and surrounded a beautiful pattern of micro diamonds. it reminded him of hyunjoon.

he hadn’t talked with his family yet about rings. as far as he knew, it was up to them individually to buy and choose rings. and even if the rings ended up being chosen for them, he hoped hyunjoon would wear this one anyway. he quickly looked around to make sure hyunjoon wasn’t nearby, before he told the clerk he wished to purchase it.

“will you be needing the ring sized?”

sunwoo blanked. he hadn’t even thought of that. “would it be possible to bring it back later for sizing? i’m afraid i don’t, uh, know the size i’ll need at the moment.”

“ah, i see. buying the ring for a lucky one, are you?” the clerk smiled at him. “of course it’s possible. just bring the measurements, or the finger, when you come by.” he wrapped up the ring in its box in silence, as sunwoo continued to glance around nervously.

“and how will you be paying today?”

“just send the bill to the castle.” he said, flashing his royal seal. for a moment, all the color drained from the clerk’s face.

“oh, of course, your highness! i’m so sorry, i didn’t realise—” he scrambled to bow, almost knocking a display off of his table in the process.

“no worries, sir. please, uh, don’t make a scene.” he took the ring in its bag from where the man handed it to him, hiding it in his larger sack just as hyunjoon walked up.

“there you are. i was looking for you.” he said, smiling. sunwoo couldn’t help but to turn red at how close he was to being caught. the clerk seemed to pick up on their relationship, but luckily, didn’t say anything.

“let’s go. thank you, sir.”

“did you buy something?” hyunjoon asked once they were out of earshot of the booth.

“yeah, just some accessories.”

“can i see?”

“oh, i uh, had them sent to the castle.” sunwoo rubbed the back of his neck. he hoped his lies weren’t too obvious.

“right. well, i think we’ve seen everything there is here to see. thank you for showing me, i had a wonderful time.” hyunjoon changed subjects, turning to face sunwoo as they stopped at the end of the road. he smiled fully, and sunwoo found it kind of blinding.

“of course, i did as well.”

they had spent a lot longer than he anticipated at the market, but it had been more booming than it usually was, and there were more merchants than he’d ever seen before. it was perfect, especially as something to show hyunjoon of the culture in his kingdom.

the sun was starting to lower itself in the sky, showing that it was the start of evening, and suddenly, sunwoo remembered his work.

“i got so carried away, i almost forgot about the paperwork that you whisked me away from. i’d love to show you more, but i need to head back. i’m so sorry.”

“don’t worry, i’d like to head back myself. i’ll join you. but don’t overwork yourself, okay?”

“no promises.”


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> sorry this took so long, i was out of town! but it's here now, please enjoy! also, i added some new tags so please read them!

it had been several weeks since hyunjoon and his family had first arrived at the castle. hyunjoon’s family had returned home after only a few days, leaving him there alone so he could continue to build a relationship with sunwoo and the kingdom before the wedding. when the families had met to agree on a date for the union, along with several other complicated logistics, they ended up deciding on a day several months from then, in the early autumn. it would be ceremonial for the most part, meant to join them officially as rulers of a kingdom above joining them as people.

in the short time since hyunjoon had arrived, sunwoo had done his best to acquaint himself with him, as well as getting him acquainted with their kingdom. he already knew the necessary basics, of course, having learned about the other countries in their world like anyone else, but now he had the opportunity to learn about it first-hand.

while they wanted to spend time together, they acknowledged the importance and demands of their individual lives, and more specifically, sunwoo’s work requirements. on many days, hyunjoon would accompany sunwoo into the city and help him with the tasks he had to complete. it took some weight off of sunwoo’s shoulders while aiding hyunjoon in his quest for learning.

during those few weeks, sunwoo and hyunjoon grew closer. sunwoo felt like they were finally reaching something like a solid friendship, and for now he chose not to acknowledge the undertones of anything more that he felt. hyunjoon was someone he got along with well, and for that he was grateful.

after spending so much time together, sunwoo began to notice little things about hyunjoon. specifically, his routine. every day, early in the morning, hyunjoon would leave and go off by himself somewhere for hours, and then return only to dress for the day. sunwoo had always been a late sleeper, and he hadn’t been able to rouse himself enough to investigate. when the curiosity eating away at him became too much to ignore, he decided to ask him directly. they were to be future husbands, was it really so inappropriate to wonder where hyunjoon went off to every morning?

“hyunjoon,” he started, looking pointedly at the other prince. hyunjoon lifted his head from the book he was reading. they sat across from each other at a table in the library, studying or browsing indiscriminate books. “where do you go every morning, by yourself? i always notice you leaving, but—”

“it’s nowhere particularly interesting.” he responded casually, looking back down to his book. “why do you want to know?”

“i’m just curious.”

“i practise archery. simple as that. i find the morning light and air to give the best conditions.”

“archery? we don’t even have any archery equipment.”

“i brought it from home, obviously. and before you ask, it’s being stored in the armory. you didn’t notice because you never go in there.”

sunwoo was slightly speechless. was he that predictable? it was true that he didn’t practise weaponry much, but he didn’t really have much interest in it. he much preferred books.

“well, thank you for answering my question. that’s all i wanted to know.”

a beat of silence passed between them before hyunjoon said, “would you like to join me tomorrow? i could show you a thing or two, and i’m sure you’d enjoy it.” there was that slight hint of a smirk he always had on his face, but sunwoo didn’t understand the joke.

“of course, if you don’t mind. i wouldn’t want to intrude or anything.” sunwoo felt almost bad for asking. he wondered if he came off as clingy, but hyunjoon’s face softened at his words, his teasing air gone.

“you wouldn’t be intruding, sunwoo. i invited you.” he paused to stand up, stacking his books into a pile. “we’ll have to get up quite early, though. are you prepared for that?”

“i can get up early if i  _ need _ to, you know. i just choose not to.”

“of course, of course. i’ll wake you at the crack of dawn then, and we can test your archery skills.” hyunjoon spoke as he placed his books back onto the shelf from where he got them. “shall we retire for the evening, your highness?” he gave a mock bow, smiling.

“i think i’ll stay up for a little longer, actually. i want to finish this.” sunwoo held up the book he was reading, a text about history, to show how little he had left.

“ah, the academic types. well, i’ll see you in the morning then. goodnight.” hyunjoon smiled again before walking off.

though he said he was planning to finish his book, sunwoo couldn’t concentrate on it any longer. his thoughts kept drifting to hyunjoon, which is what seemed to be the norm as of late. going into this, he knew he might end up developing feelings for whoever it was he was going to marry. though he thought it wouldn’t be likely, given the very tactical aspect of their relationship, he hoped it might come true. now, that he suspected it was, he feared it. the only thing worse for him than having feelings for someone was being rejected, especially knowing that in this case, he would be spending the rest of his life with said person.

he didn’t think that he had a full-on crush  _ quite _ yet, but he felt himself getting closer to one with every little smirk or smile hyunjoon gave, every little curious tilt of his head, every mischievous joke or tease, and every laugh. hyunjoon was just so  _ charming _ , and not inexplicably so. he just had this perfect aura about him that really clicked with sunwoo.

hyunjoon was someone who was elegant and regal when he needed to be, but at the end of the day was someone he found himself able to relate to. when he had his princely costume on, sunwoo would almost forget that they were the same age. it was during their down time together that he could really see it. hyunjoon was a lot more innocent and youthful than he liked to pretend, and sunwoo cherished that.

despite how nonchalant and casual he acted, there was something very comforting and grounding about him. sunwoo always felt at ease when the other prince was around. as embarrassing as it was to admit it, sunwoo knew that he wouldn’t mind having hyunjoon around for a long time, and he was even looking forward to it.

over the weeks they had already spent together, sunwoo had seen him in action as a prince many times. he was helpful during their jobs, serving as a perfect support. he was there when he was needed, and was capable of taking the lead when sunwoo was out of his comfort zone. every day, he wondered how he managed to get matched with someone that he melded with so well. he was truly,  _ truly _ lucky.

now, the only question was where to go from there. he had absolutely no idea if hyunjoon had even an inkling of a crush on him, whether he viewed them as just friends, or whether he viewed them as strictly professional. he didn’t have the courage to ask, and he definitely didn’t know if hyunjoon even wanted to be romantic. maybe he hadn’t been wanting that from the start, and it was just sunwoo caught up in his own heart.

thinking about it too much was stressful, and also pointless, but sunwoo tended to overthink things quite often. in that moment, he knew he was definitely thinking too much. finishing his text wasn’t going to happen, especially with all the thoughts swirling in his mind, so he closed his book and went off to bed.

sunwoo changed into his pajamas and climbed in bed alongside the sleeping prince. the whirling pool of thoughts and feelings he was dwelling on made him feel kind of sad, and he wanted nothing more than for hyunjoon’s limbs to smother him and make him calm. he couldn’t take the initiative himself. at least, nothing on the level of what hyunjoon normally did. hyunjoon was facing away from him, towards the wall, so sunwoo curled himself into a ball and pressed himself up against his back. he rested himself there, so close and barely touching, not wanting to wake the other prince and embarrass himself once again.

as his eyes closed, he tried to empty his mind and focus solely on the warmth of hyunjoon next to him, letting himself drift into a deep and dreamless sleep.

+

hyunjoon wasn’t exaggerating when he said  _ the crack of dawn _ . sunwoo was fairly certain he could even hear the roosters crow, and it actually took him a moment to remember they didn’t have roosters on the castle grounds. if it was so early that he was having auditory hallucinations, he worried more about trying not to kill something with his arrows than whether or not he could hit a high score on the target.

he couldn’t make himself move from his cosy bed, he really just couldn’t, so hyunjoon had to practically drag him out, grabbing sunwoo by the wrists and pulling until he stood of his own accord. sunwoo groaned and whined the whole way down to the armory, eyes barely open due to his exhaustion and the harsh early morning sunlight. he didn’t think he’d gone to bed late, but he had clearly gotten too little sleep for his internal clock.

“you are so spoiled, sunwoo.” hyunjoon stated as he took some bows down from their hooks in the armory and prepared them for use. “this isn’t even that early for me. sometimes, i wake up  _ before _ the sun rises. living here has been like a vacation.”

“well, that’s wonderful for you, i’m sure, but i like to be  _ awake _ when i do important things, not stumbling through it dispassionately.” sunwoo leaned against the wall, fighting sleep even in that uncomfortable position.

“can you please help me set up the targets?”

“can’t you ask one of the stable boys to do it?”

“wow, you really  _ are _ spoiled. this is nothing we can’t do ourselves. or maybe your arms are too weak to lift them?” hyunjoon said, a condescending tone in his voice. sunwoo knew he was being mocked, but he couldn’t really care. it seemed that sleep deprivation made him apathetic. he would probably say something about it later once he had some coffee in him, but right now all he could do was keep himself standing.

“fine, fine. what do i carry and where do i put it?”

hyunjoon pointed at a line of large wooden targets in the corner of the armory. they were perfect circles, with smaller multi-colored ones painted on the surface to create levels. each one had a flimsy stand attached to keep it upright. they didn’t seem that hard to move.

they set up the targets, sunwoo deciding to contain his complaints so as to not worsen his reputation with the other prince. he didn’t know if hyunjoon was more amused or disappointed with how he had acted so far, so he resolved himself to try to improve his attitude. after all, this was something important to hyunjoon, and it was also something fun. he had nothing to gripe about.

“first, i’ll show you how i shoot. you might want to step back.” hyunjoon grabbed one of the bows off of the ground and equipped his quiver, placing it around his waist and attaching it to his belt. sunwoo watched closely as he grabbed an arrow and held it against the side of the bow. he held his arms up in a perfect horizontal line, drew back the string, and then let go.

sunwoo shouldn’t have been shocked to see the arrow land dead in the center, but he was regardless. he had admired hyunjoon’s poise, and now he could see that it wasn’t just for show. he was really quite talented.

“do you want to try now? i can show you.” hyunjoon smiled, watching sunwoo’s stunned face. he reached out a hand and beckoned him over. he followed the motion, and hyunjoon handed him his bow.

“when you hold the bow in the ready position, you’re gonna want to hold it like this.” he grabbed the other one off the ground and demonstrated the technique, looking back every few seconds to check sunwoo’s form as he continued to explain. after a few minutes of fumbling with the positioning, hyunjoon gave an exasperated huff.

“no, see, you’re not holding your elbow high enough.” he set the bow down and moved to stand directly behind sunwoo. much too close, he felt. much closer than was needed for an archery lesson. he could feel the warmth radiating off of the other prince, that’s how close he was standing. sunwoo knew he should be concentrating on this very valuable information he was learning, but he couldn’t, his mind zeroing in on trying to sense just  _ exactly  _ how close he was. 

hyunjoon set one hand on sunwoo’s hip to hold him, and the other lifted his elbow into place. sunwoo tried his best to keep breathing. “hold it like this.” his voice was lowered to a whisper, and sunwoo could feel hyunjoon’s words vibrating right up against him. he wondered if he could see how red his ears were from that angle.

sunwoo followed hyunjoon’s instructions, letting himself be held in the correct position. he focused on his breathing to settle down his erratic heartbeat, and focused. he pulled back the string, closing his right eye to center the target, and let go.

he didn’t even notice how well he scored until hyunjoon stepped away from him, cheering. he hadn’t hit it perfectly in the middle, like hyunjoon had, but he was in the next ring up from it. that was impressive for his first ever attempt at archery. he felt proud of himself in that moment, forgetting the previous tension between them. he didn’t want to dwell on the fact that hyunjoon was acting like nothing strange had happened at all, and that sunwoo was the only one who seemed to feel their closeness so intensely.

they spent the rest of the morning shooting at the targets together, and sunwoo could almost feel himself improve over the hours, even managing to strike a hit in the center once. when he did, hyunjoon rushed over and enveloped him in a quick hug. he had so much energy that he almost knocked sunwoo off of his feet, and he found his excitement flattering and more endearing than it should be. 

hyunjoon, of course, was perfect, except for the one time that sunwoo distracted him by calling out loudly just as he let go of the string. the arrow flew off above the target, landing somewhere in the field beyond the training grounds. he got a scowl for that, but it quickly dissipated at the sight and sound of sunwoo’s laughter.

once breakfast time arrived, they decided to head inside, finally feeling their hunger after all the rush of their fun together. their good mood carried them through the rest of the day, and sunwoo found himself unable to stop smiling even while he was working, every little thing reminding him of hyunjoon. perhaps he had more of a crush than he thought.

+

another several weeks passed, their daily routine remaining mostly the same, with the addition of sunwoo occasionally joining him for his morning archery sessions. he couldn’t make himself get up so early on most days, however, especially with how late he would stay up because of his work. hyunjoon understood, but woke him up gently every morning anyway to ask if he wanted to come with.

when he decided to stay back that morning, he thought he heard hyunjoon tell him softly to go back to sleep, and felt a warm hand caress his cheek. when his brain processed what had happened and he opened his eyes to ask why, hyunjoon was already long gone. sunwoo wondered if he had imagined it. he was so tired, and he couldn’t be sure if it was real. he was definitely too terrified to ask, especially if it had been his dreamy mind conjuring up some domestic fantasy.

moving his thoughts to other subjects, he was looking forward to that day, because it was finally time for his best friend to meet his fiancé. both he and eric were so incredibly busy with work that they hadn’t been able to meet up for weeks, until one day they were both completely free of other plans. eric had visited the castle the previous day to let them know so they could set off early in the morning. they planned to take a horseback ride around the beautiful paths through the forest and the countryside, and maybe get in some hunting. well, eric and juyeon, and maybe hyunjoon would. hunting was not to sunwoo’s taste, but he didn’t mind joining his friends on an outing.

the two arrived early the next morning, even earlier than hyunjoon rose for his archery, and sunwoo tried his best not to regret making plans. the stable boys prepared the horses for them (luckily, this wasn’t something hyunjoon insisted on doing himself) and they set off before the sun was up.

they brought plenty of food and other supplies with them, so they wouldn’t need anything on their trip. it was likely to take all day at the leisurely pace they preferred. it was also hot, the sun beating down on their necks and making the horses tired, so they couldn’t go faster even if they wanted to.

once they entered the forest, everyone felt more up for conversation. the shade of the trees made the woods cool, even at that time of day. they talked absentmindedly about little things during the rest of their journey until they came to a stop at a camp in the forest, one set up for nobility to use specifically.

“so, prince hyunjoon,” eric said, once they had all settled on the fallen logs arranged around a small campfire. it wasn’t lit, but there were rocks in a circle and wood in the center of them if they wished to use it. “what do you think of sunwoo?”

sunwoo choked on air at his words, face flushing immediately. he knew eric was loud, and definitely outspoken, but he had no idea he would be so brazen as to ask that kind of question right in front of him, as if he wasn’t there at all. he looked to juyeon to see his reaction, but he remained silent as he had for most of the journey. he didn’t dare look at hyunjoon.

“i like him quite a lot,” hyunjoon said, and sunwoo couldn’t tell if it was mirth or something genuine in his voice. “we get along well.”

“oh, really?” eric replied, with  _ way _ too much glee. he looked between the two excitedly, like he expected something to happen. “that’s good to hear. sunwoo was  _ really _ worried, you know, when you arrived? he was so stressed out that he was pacing in his office and everything. i thought he was gonna pass out—”

“ _ eric _ .” sunwoo glared at him. he really loved eric, but sometimes he didn’t know when to shut up.

“well, he has nothing to be worried about.” hyunjoon turned to look at him, smiling and setting a firm hand on his shoulder for comfort. how he could tell when sunwoo was upset about something, he didn’t know. somehow, he could just sense it. sunwoo returned the smile.

“aw, juyeon, look at them! they’re being mushy!” eric tugged on juyeon’s arm, practically squealing. the moment was broken, and sunwoo rolled his eyes and groaned in their general direction. he felt hyunjoon give one last squeeze of his shoulder before removing his hand.

“eric, let’s go hunting now.” juyeon said quietly. of course, eric immediately jumped up to ready their things. if anyone was mushy, it was them.

“prince hyunjoon, do you want to join us?” eric asked as he fumbled with their bags.

“no, thank you. i don’t like to hunt.”

“really? even though you do archery?” sunwoo was surprised by that. he hadn’t yet encountered another person who didn’t like hunting. he wondered if his reasons were the same.

“i do archery for fun and relaxation. killing, to me, is not relaxing.”

“wow, look at that. another thing you guys have in common. sunwoo hates hunting, always has, but he never complains when i do it.” eric stood at the edge of the camp with juyeon, at the start of the path into the forest. they carried crossbows, regular bows, and even small daggers. juyeon carried a sword in addition to all of that.

“think you have enough weapons for your battle?” sunwoo tried to keep his expression neutral, but couldn’t help the way his lips curved up on one side.

"so, are you two coming? not even to accompany us?" eric tried to seem upset by the idea, but it was obvious that he didn't mind spending some alone time with juyeon. sunwoo knew from how often he ranted about it that they didn't get to be together often, despite being practically engaged, because of their work. sunwoo was just waiting for one of them to pop the question at some point so they could get it over with and stop suffering without being by each other's side constantly.

"no, you two have fun. we'll just stay here and enjoy the forest." sunwoo watched the two walk off into the hunting grounds together. after a few minutes of sitting around, unsure of what to do with their time, sunwoo remembered one of the original reasons they wanted to go out.

"hyunjoon, why don't we go down to the river?"

"the river?" hyunjoon seemed interested.

"yeah, there's a beautiful one near here, down further in the forest. we won't be bothering them, if you’re wondering. it's in the other direction." sunwoo stood, waiting for hyunjoon to join him. briefly, he wondered what eric and juyeon would think if they returned to find the other two gone, but he decided he'd rather have fun than worry about their teasing.

sunwoo led hyunjoon down a small, crowded path leading into the dense woods. it was clear that people didn't travel it often, because it was barely traversable, hyunjoon struggling and having to hold onto sunwoo for support a few times to not trip and fall. they walked for a long time, longer than hyunjoon expected, but he trusted that sunwoo knew where he was going.

finally, they arrived at a clearing. at least, that's what it seemed like at first, but hyunjoon quickly saw that it was just a continuation of the narrow path that went alongside the river. the river itself was down in its own little narrow valley of sorts, but hyunjoon could see an easy way to climb down to it if they wanted to, which is what he assumed they would do.

"there's this rock i love to sit on down there, do you see it? it's big and flat, perfect to just sit and dip your feet in the water." sunwoo had a soft smile on his face.

hyunjoon was able to spot the rock easily, as it stood out from others that stuck out from the sides of the riverbed or the ones that protruded up out of the water, embedded into the floor. carefully, the two made their way down the slight incline and onto the rock. it wasn't too difficult, especially since they had an extra person with them to use for balance. trying this alone might be more treacherous.

they settled onto the edge of the rock that faced the center of the slightly wide river. as he rolled the edges of his pants up to his knees and removed his shoes, hyunjoon noticed how deep and clear the water was. it was perfectly swimmable, and the current wasn't strong at all, either, seeing as how there was a small waterfall to their right that led into the fairly stable pool at their feet. to their left, the river continued with a stronger current. it was a picturesque little spot, probably discovered originally by a stroke of luck and nothing else.

the boys gently dipped their legs into the water, all the way up to their knees. they tried to keep their pants dry but ended up not caring too much, the lure of the refreshing water much more important than trying to keep themselves perfectly presentable.

after a few moments of just enjoying the water and the beautiful nature around them, they settled into some idle chatter, not talking about anything in particular and instead just filling the space with something to keep them occupied.

eventually, their conversation settled into silence. sunwoo was unsure of what to talk about, almost all topics leaving his mind as the exhaustion from travel settled into his bones. he really wanted nothing more than to lay back on the rock and just take a nap, but he felt the pressure to spend active time with hyunjoon and keep him engaged in some kind of activity.

sunwoo turned to ask hyunjoon if there was anything else he'd like to do or see in the forest, and when he did, he saw hyunjoon's hands working deftly down the front of his shirt to unbutton it. the sharp sting of nerves jumped through sunwoo's chest at the sight.

"hyunjoon? what are you—"

"the water here is beautiful. i'd love to go for a swim." he said it with an exaggerated tone of excitement.

"but, your clothes will be ruined."

"why do you think i'm taking them off?" hyunjoon turned to him, lips curling into that teasing smile, as he shrugged off his shirt. 

sunwoo had already seen him shirtless once, but the sight lit his nerves regardless. when hyunjoon's hands moved to the buttons on his pants, he had to look away, heart pounding so wildly he could feel it in his chest and face flushed brighter than a ripe tomato.

"are you sure that's a good idea?" sunwoo tried keeping his voice steady as he pointedly looked away from hyunjoon, staring off at some unknown subject even as every sense in his body was tuned to the movements of hyunjoon undressing behind him.

"it's a wonderful idea. flawless, really. my clothes are saved,  _ and _ i get to swim. no harm done." he still had that tone to his voice. sunwoo wondered if he was doing this on purpose, and immediately shoved the thought as far away as possible.

sunwoo heard nothing for a moment, and then he felt the water move as hyunjoon entered it. he tried desperately to not dwell on the fact that hyunjoon was completely naked and within an arm's reach.

when he heard the water splashing as hyunjoon swam further away from the rock, he decided to chance a look. despite the water being clear, the subtle waves obscured anything sunwoo might not want to see. at least, that's what he told himself.

hyunjoon was at the center of the pool. he had dived underwater at some point, as he was now completely soaked, his hair slicked back with water. the light from the trees above filtered down onto the water’s surface, leaving bright and speckled patterns of leaves all over the area, and all over hyunjoon. the light and shadow contrasting highlighted hyunjoon in a magnificent way, and the light reflecting off of his water-slick skin made him seem even more ethereal, like some kind of water nymph. sunwoo felt like it was impossible not to stare.

when hyunjoon noticed him looking, he broke into his full cat-like grin, and sunwoo's heart leapt at the sight.

"sunwoo, you should join me! the water is just fine." he started to swim over at a languid pace. every second that he grew closer, sunwoo grew more anxious as to what hyunjoon was planning behind that playful and cunning expression.

hyunjoon treaded water right in front of him, cold wet hands coming up to grip his calves. when he shifted slightly closer, sunwoo could feel his bare skin pressing up against his legs under the water. whatever hyunjoon was doing made him feel dizzy. he was sure that his expression was as transparent as the water before them, and now that hyunjoon was so close, he  _ refused _ to look down. the close distance wouldn't hide anything, and hyunjoon wasn't afraid to show it.

"don't be so shy, sunwoo. it's just me." hyunjoon had calmed down his previously high-volume teasing aura into something more grounding, more inviting. his hands gently rubbed the back of sunwoo's calves. it seemed like he was curious, more than anything, to see if sunwoo would be as adventurous as he was, but he didn't feel pressure from him at all.

he couldn't feel completely calm at  _ all _ in this kind of situation, and he hoped hyunjoon would understand when he unsteadily asked him not to look as he stripped off his clothes. and, just like the gentleman he was, he kept his word and waited until sunwoo had joined him in the water and told him it was okay to turn around.

it was even more awkward than he could've imagined, to be naked in the water with hyunjoon. he couldn't speak, and even if he could he wouldn't know what to say. hyunjoon was looking at him with something unreadable in his eyes, and sunwoo couldn't keep contact with them for long enough to discern it. he kept looking in any direction but at hyunjoon, treading water and feeling completely out of his skin.

"hello." hyunjoon said then, grin returning to his face. he seemed appreciative, and genuinely happy that sunwoo had joined him in the water. it made sunwoo feel slightly more secure about the whole situation. and hyunjoon had been right, the water was  _ perfect _ on a day like this; it was cool but not cold and easy to get used to. he hardly ever swam, and right now it felt heavenly.

sunwoo was jerked from his thoughts by a large splash of water hitting his face. it stunned him for a moment, before he saw the culprit giggling a few feet away, hands still cupped where they'd been holding the water. sunwoo smirked before returning the favor, making sure to use as much force as possible to move the water. however, his counterattack didn't work, as hyunjoon seemed to love the water, basking in it like it was the most amazing shower he’d ever had.

eager to get his revenge, he lunged for hyunjoon, but the water slowed him down and made his movements more sluggish. hyunjoon seemed like a natural in these waters and he darted away with ease, small giggles filling the air.

"don't swim that often, do you?" hyunjoon teased, watching sunwoo pause his hunt. he was already out of breath from fighting with the water's weight. hyunjoon circled him, just out of reach.

"i used to be much better at it." 

sunwoo had silently given up on his quest, instead deciding to watch hyunjoon's elegant form as he swam. suddenly, he sped towards sunwoo, stopping directly in front of him, and he was out of breath again, this time from his sudden proximity. they were so close that sunwoo felt the heat from his body radiating in the water around them, and he could almost feel hyunjoon's breaths. which, he noticed, were not as steady as he expected them to be.

hyunjoon wordlessly raised his hand to cup sunwoo's cheek. there was no doubt he would feel it burning under his palm. even though he knew what was coming, it was still a surprise when hyunjoon leaned in to kiss him ever-so-gently. it was a quick kiss, lingering for just a half-second before he pulled away. through the overwhelmingness of it all, sunwoo barely registered that it was his first kiss.

"that was okay, i take it?" hyunjoon said, palm still resting on sunwoo's cheek and a nervous smile rising to his face. sunwoo didn't even notice the smile on his own face until he nodded in response, and hyunjoon leaned back in for another.

this time, hyunjoon wasn't worried about being more confident, pressing his lips just slightly harder against sunwoo's so that he could feel the difference. however, he was still careful, coaxing him into the rhythm slowly so he would get used to it. 

sunwoo couldn't tell if he was more nervous or excited. his heart was still beating out of his chest but he didn't even notice with the way their lips moved together. then, when hyunjoon's teeth ghosted over his bottom lip, a small gasp escaped him.

hyunjoon grew more bold with the small sound and moved his hand from sunwoo's cheek to the back of his neck, holding him steady and pulling him closer. his other hand grabbed his hip under the water. the barely-there contact between their bodies was too much of a tease for sunwoo and he had to hold back a groan.

as they kept kissing, hyunjoon gently bit his bottom lip, this time much more clear in his intentions. then, his lips parted into an open-mouthed kiss, and sunwoo was silently encouraged to follow along. he almost grew anxious for a moment, knowing hyunjoon would feel his hesitation, but that quickly dissipated when hyunjoon licked into his mouth.

it was an encouragement, almost like beckoning him to mimic hyunjoon's movements and follow along as the kiss built up. he couldn't help but to do so, the feeling as their tongues met causing a shiver to spread throughout his whole body, leaving him feeling shaky as their tongues rolled together. his hands instinctively went up to hold onto hyunjoon's shoulders to keep himself steady in the water.

finally, they came up for air, and sunwoo didn't notice how little he had been breathing until he felt the lightheadedness seeping in at the edges of his mind. both of them were out of breath, sunwoo trying but failing to think of something to say with his eyes glued to hyunjoon's kissed-red lips.

just as it looked like hyunjoon was going in for the third kiss, they heard a voice calling out in the distance. they couldn't tell what it said, but it was unmistakably eric. sunwoo shifted back into reality, realising how much time had passed with a bit of horror. no wonder he was seemingly looking for them. they sat in silence, trying to listen, and suddenly eric's second call was much louder and much clearer.

" _ shit _ !" sunwoo exclaimed, scrambling to free himself from hyunjoon's hold. he would rather die than be caught in such a compromising position. hyunjoon understood the implications and scrambled along with him.

once they reached the rock, they realised a major predicament: they were still both soaking wet.

"here, we can dry ourselves with my coat."

"but—"

"don't worry, it's an old one anyway." 

hyunjoon quickly wiped himself down with the coat, it seeming to be a very effective towel, before tossing it to sunwoo. they dried off and got dressed in record time, and were preparing to leave just as eric came into the clearing.

"there you guys are!" if he noticed their hair being wet, he didn't say anything, his face mostly showing concern. "you were gone for so long that i got worried."

"sorry we worried you, we were just enjoying the river." sunwoo tried to look casual.

"yeah, i can see that." he gestured vaguely to their hair, and sunwoo flushed when he realised they weren't getting away with anything. the least he could do was pray that eric didn't know, or even speculate, what had actually gone on between them.

hyunjoon and sunwoo walked back to the camp with eric in silence, neither of them listening to his long-winded rant about their hunt. sunwoo stared at the back of hyunjoon's head, trying to gage what he was thinking. he hoped it wasn't regret. 

after a few minutes, hyunjoon reached back and grabbed sunwoo's hand to steady himself as they passed through a particularly rough area, and kept holding it long after the path had evened out. sunwoo was glad that no one was looking to see him smile embarrassingly wide at the action.

**Author's Note:**

> come talk to me!
> 
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